KDs are designed/developed/inspired/mused/auto-suggested/indigested to make folks think; an especially uncommon experience among Democrats, Republicans, and jingoistic mainline denominationalists who continue to discourage dissent with their ever-threatening thought police.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Four Things Missing in Dying Churches

Many years ago as
a rookie, I complained to my dad about a fart in the elevator; recalling JP:
"When it comes to church, it takes just one. Everyone suffers.
No one can escape."

Shrink to our
doctoral study group not long after that: "Problem people are
usually constipated. That's why they dump on you."

Executive
Director of CFP just before joining with PUBC to form PFR: "Just one flea
can make a big dog itch."

Enough.

My dad asked,
"How old is he?"

I said,
"He's older than mom's dad" (80+).

Dad: "That's
your problem. He's just trying to catch your attention; and doesn't know
how to do it appropriately. Just sit with him, pretend to pay attention,
think about golf or something, and he'll be fine. Some people have too
much time on their hands and just need someone to listen to them. He
doesn't mean to be a pain; but that's the only way he can get people to pay
attention to him anymore."

Enough.

But I'm reminded
of the woman who made an appointment to complain about the doxology being in
the wrong part of the service according to her liturgical ignorance.

It made no sense
to me; until my secretary said, "Can't you see? She's hot for
you! She's just trying to catch your attention so you'll pay attention to
her."

True.

I met with her
and she hit on me.

Enough.

But I'm reminded
of pastor search committee members and the common experience of many of
'em leaving their churches after discovering their choices wouldn't champion
their agenda, be their best friend, go to bed with 'em (gender not important
anymore), or...

Enough.

But...

@#$%

Nobody asked.

But my personal
prejudices for President have no chance of beating the incumbent.

Because I try not
to hide anything - read John 3:19-21 again for a reminder of what this is all
about - I like the African-American and former physician.

No way.

The GOP ain't
gonna nominate a black man or Libertarian to run against BBPBHO.

Any party that
picks guys like Dole, McClain, and...

If I have to
explain that to you...

The Governor of
Texas is a stiff in public and the others, well, uh,...if I have to explain
that to you...

So it looks like
it's gonna be the former Governor of Massachusetts against the former rapper
from Illinois.

Mormon...Muslim...Mormon...Muslim...Mormon...Muslim...

Sorry, that's
unfair.

We have no idea
about the incumbent's theology.

And as far as the
fears spreading in the "Christian Right" about the Mormon, I've
concluded he's about as close to authentic Mormonism as too many
pewsitters/pulpiteers/mainliners are to authentic Christianity.

What, me worry?

Yes.

2 Chronicles
7:14.

It's a lot bigger
than next November.

Enough.

@#$%

So what does this
have to do with the four things missing in dying churches?

Preface.

Well, God has
established order/authority to keep countries, communities, churches, and families
from falling into anarchy, mobocracy, decay, decline, and the like.

In short, God
predestines leaders over us in the country, community, church, and family; and
as long as those leaders acknowledge/affirm God as their ultimate Leader and
the focus/filter of their leadership according to Holy Scripture, we must
submit to their authority as submitting to His authority.

We disobey 'em
only when leaders contradict God as He has revealed Himself.

That's the
Biblical way of keeping countries, communities, churches, and families from
falling apart.

Conversely, when anybody's
word is as good as anybody else's word on any subject and the inmates start
running the..., countries, communities, churches, and families fall apart.

Remembering, as
cited so often in Holy Scripture, "God opposes the proud but gives grace
to the humble...God lifts up the humble and brings down the proud."

Guts.

Joshua 24:15;
Matthew 5:10-12; 10:16-42; 16:24-28; Romans 1:16-17.

It takes guts to
be for Jesus when serving in government, teaching in schools, maneuvering
through the marketplace, and all of the below.

Being for Jesus
in time means catching lots of hell before heavenly graduation.

Jesus.

Matthew 7:24-27;
John 3.

When we're born
again as His and directed by all of the above, our trust, humility, and guts
grow.

Selah.

@#$%

Knowing who to be
and what to do as His is so easy.

Practicing who to
be and what to do as His is so hard.

Oswald Chambers,
better than most, addressed the paradox so clearly, concisely, crisply, and
compellingly: "You do not know what you are going to do; the only thing
you know is that God knows what He is doing...The Bible has been so many words
to us - clouds and darkness - then all of a sudden the words become spirit and
life because Jesus re-speaks them to us in a particular condition...When a man
gets to God, it is by the most simple way of words."

It all makes
sense with increasing trust, humility, and guts because of increasing intimacy
with Jesus.

2 comments:

Jim
said...

Agreed. Assuming Jesus is in the #4 spot on the list because you wanted to save the best for last, or, alternatively, because when you filled out your lineup card there was simply no one in all of the history of, well, of everything, to be in the clean-up spot (Who ever cleaned up more that needed cleaning than Jesus?)